Being from a studio recognized as top-class, few doubted that Hyouka would be equally so – several pages of production phase setting illustrations have been released, showing complex venues amazingly illustrated.

These blueprints nearly embody the word “spectacular” as incredibly intricate backdrops are broken down to sheer wire-frame. The above serving as our example – it exhibits the room which, if not mistaken, is where the Kotenbu assembles on a frequent basis. Anyone can merely glance upon this piece and see that it is ornate – although this visually busy concoction of elements is all drawn according to a certain technique which isn’t nearly as easy to spot when the same scene is seen in color.

A single point perspective is utilized to the create the striking “point-of-view” effect – every line traveling horizontally across the canvas returns to a single dot on the image. Now while that technique does simplify the depth process, brilliant skill comes to shine when one considers what it must have taken to make this room as packed with precisely sketched items as it is.

Consider the overwhelming spectacle which this art piece provides – a collage of lines all over the place, and it clearly must have taken a lot of tedious effort and time. Now realize that Kyoto Animation’s team had to have this same room sketched out again and then some, several times over, and at different angles even, to formulate the necessary frames for the animation – not to mention, those frames need to be colored. Someone had to go through and determine what hue every item must be – and subsequently, another had to actually apply the coloring.

Coloring in this case is not akin to your experiences in kindergarten – realistic shadow had to be applied as well, with thoughtful contemplation taken for how certain items would affect the light acting on others, such as a character standing in the middle of the room. Complicated as that sounds, this is hardly even scratching the surface when it comes to animation production – although that becomes a separate topic entirely.

As a last note of interest, with this sketch serving as a basis for frames which shall take place within this room, one can see that all significant details were labelled – with the illustration itself also being titled and dated accordingly.

All in all, it’s quite apparent why Kyoto Animation is regarded as a studio above all.

So, planning a trip. First, Seto Inland Sea. Eat whatever they grill up for me, and take massive amounts of pictures, hopefully of fuwa fuwa pink neko-sama’s.
Second. Chichibo. Look for Secret Base, avoid river. Cry.
Third. Akiba. Rack up as much debt as Discover, MasterCard and Visa will allow me. Failing that liquidize my IRA. Look for a the cast of Oreimo and slap them several times.
Fourth. Takayama. Hit that coffee shop. Solve mysteries. I will solve mysteries by being totally blitz on sake. Seriously, I looked it up; town has like a gazillion sake breweries. I think I’ll throw a bong party.
Find Misaki City, get eaten by a random tomoga, find a flame haze, become a god, ??????, profit.

In Other News...

Dracu-Riot! Ero-Marketing Goes Full PowerAs much awaited eroge Dracu-Riot! is now merely two weeks away, the series has gone full force in marketing – bringing out every scantily exposed female at its disposal, parodies, and all else possible for attention.
... read more

“Yuki Koi Melt” Lets You Do NekomimiYuki Koi Melt is the next eroge from the makers of Grisaia, Frontwing, and it has been receiving much acclaim from otaku through its preview CG and trial for having a purple-haired cute nekomimi bishoujo.
... read more

Become A Chikan In AkihabaraAn eroge about chikan train molestation has come up with an innovative way to promote itself and offer otaku a sample of its offerings – a signboard of a life-sized girl with fondleable posterior.
... read more

Sankarea – Uncensored & With Extra PantsuSankarea’s first Blu-ray volume appears to specifically do two things aside from enhance video quality – the first being that it frivolously adds additional scenes of pantsu, and secondly, it uncensors everything.
... read more

■ Featured Article

Buriki’s artwork is legendary when he’s just drawing bishoujos – yet in Haganai Connect, he not only sketches some of his beautiful girls, but he draws them with ensemble tossed aside, giving much skin to see.
... read more